What can a business leader learn from a magician?

What can a business leader learn from a magician?

In junior high, I wanted to be the next David Copperfield.

Recently, I was reviewing old magic files.

I came across the “Top 10 Rules for Magicians.”

As I read them, I saw uncanny parallels to business to learn from.

1. Never be a showoff.
Being humble builds trust.

Show you value colleagues, clients, and partners’ work, not just your own.

This makes more people want to work with you.

2. Always respect your fellow magicians.
Today’s competitors can become tomorrow’s partners.

Respect keeps future collaboration options open for new business opportunities or joint ventures.

3. Never tell the secret.
Keep things simple.

Sharing the intricacies of your process could overwhelm prospects.

Clients seek your expertise to simplify problems and provide solutions.

4. Never repeat a trick for the same audience.
Always innovate.

Continuous improvement leads to breakthroughs in your service offerings, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

5. Only perform magic under the right circumstances.
Choose clients who fit your values.

Mismatched partnerships drain resources, distract from better-aligned opportunities, and tarnish brand reputation.

6. Have something to say when you perform a trick.
Focus on the client.

What problems are they experiencing?

Focus on how to solve their challenges versus talking about yourself.

7. Don’t force your magic on people.
Work with clients who value what you offer.

Create thought leadership that shares your point of view and attracts like-minded clients.

8. Always leave the audience wanting more.
Give prospects enough to demonstrate expertise.

But don’t give away everything.

Keep interest high so they want to take the next steps.

9. Don’t try to learn too much at once.
Focus on doing a few things well.

Offering too many services or targeting too many audience segments will overwhelm you.

Master one area before moving to the next.

10. Practice!
The landscape is changing fast.

Stay abreast of new tools and platforms.

Even seasoned professionals must practice and learn continuously.